Lake County mom left baby in hot car during liquor run, police say

A 34-year-old Lake County woman was arrested this weekend after leaving her baby in a car while she shopped for liquor and cigarettes, police said.

Shannon Mixer of Umatilla faces child abuse charges after a witness said she left her 1-year-old daughter in her car for nearly 20 minutes Sunday afternoon.

Police said the temperature outside exceeded 90 degrees about 2 p.m. Sunday. The witness said he was walking through the parking lot of a Publix shopping center off U.S. Highway 441 when he saw the child. The unlocked car was still running and the air conditioning was on, so he waited several minutes before calling police.

Mixer came back to the car just as police arrived. The little girl was sweating and the car was "uncomfortably warm," with the temperature inside wavering being 91 and 93 degrees, the report said.

Mixer told investigators that she didn't think leaving the child in the car was a problem because she left the car running. She admitted to leaving the child in the car at least six times in the past, including once earlier that same day.

"I left Burger King and I wanted to go get me some liquor," the report said Mixer told police. "So I went to L J's [Lounge and Package liquor store] and she was sleeping so I ran in. I was in there two to three minutes, ran back out to check on her, she was fine then I ran into Publix for some cigarettes. Inside I noticed there was Gatorade on sale and bought that."

She said she was in the store about seven minutes Sunday. The little girl's father took her home after Mixer's arrest.